The ‘mandai vellam’ (jaggery) makers and traders of Madurai have been deeply impacted by the imposition of intense complete lockdown. While the district administration has recently permitted the functioning of jaggery mandis on three days a week, the traders urge the district administration to permit functioning of mandis without any time restrictions.
The jaggery, which is made by grinding sugarcane, is a major business in nearly eight villages of Alanganallur region - Kottaimedu, Kallanai, Valasai, Melachinnampatti, Kalvelipatti, Kondaiyampatti and Thanichiyam.
C. Jothivel, a farmer from Kottaimedu, who also runs a jaggery manufacturing unit, said that the failure in regular procurement of sugarcane by National Cooperative Sugar Mills in Alanganallur in recent years had encouraged many farmers to produce jaggery, a value addition.
The ‘mandai vellam’ produced in Madurai region has a good demand in Kerala and Tirunelveli for being almost organic without any chemicals.
Mr. Jothivel, on behalf of other farmers and jaggery manufacturers, submitted a petition to the Collector requesting to permit functioning of jaggery mandis that were closed from May 24 during the intense complete lockdown period. He had said that the non-operation of mandis caused huge financial loss for both the farmers as well as the manufacturers.
Based on this request, the district administration permitted the functioning of the mandis for three days a week during fixed timings.
But, the time restrictions pose several challenges for the jaggery traders, said M. Karthikeyan, secretary of Tamil Nadu Jaggery Merchants Association. “The jaggery from Madurai is mostly sold in Kerala, where there are some restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. Hence, if the district administration removes the time restrictions imposed in functioning of mandis, then it will not affect the supply chain,?” he added.